Workpiece transfer device

ABSTRACT

A transfer device for transferring a workpiece from one station to another in a line of presses utilizing a form of crank driven linkage mechanism which horizontally reciprocates a carriage between two extreme positions while carrying a workpiece. A lift frame on which the carriage reciprocates, raises the carriage and the workpiece at one of said positions and lowers the carriage and workpiece at the other of said positions to deposit the workpiece at the next station.

United States Patent [191 Budris et al.

[ 51 March 6, 1973 WORKPIECE TRANSFER DEVICE [75] Inventors: Albert P.Budris, Oak Lawn; Louis F. Carrieri, La Grange Park, both of 111.

[73] Assignee: U.S. Industries, Inc., New York,

22 Filed: Aprils, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 132,282

[52] US. Cl. ..l98/219 [51 Int. Cl ..B65g 25/04 [58] Field of Search..198/219, 19

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,481,450 12/1969 Umbricht..l98/219 3,154,191 10/1964 Schmidt ..198/2l9 Primary Examiner-RichardE. Aegerter Attorney-Johnston, Root, OKeeffe, Keil, Thompson & Shurtleff5 7 ABSTRACT A transfer device for transferring a workpiece from onestation to another in a line of presses utilizing a form of crank drivenlinkage mechanism which horizontally reciprocates a carriage between twoextreme positions while carrying a workpiece. A lift frame on which thecarriage reciprocates, raises the carriage and the workpiece at one ofsaid positions and lowers the carriage and workpiece at the other ofsaid positions to deposit the workpiece at the next statron.

11 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEU MAR 61975 DIRECTION LI F LO ER gRETU RN TRANsF ER LOADER omacnou T RANSFER LOWER .NLOADER INVENTORS.

ALBERT P. BUDRIS LOUIS F. CARRIERI ATT'YS PATENTEU R 61975 719,270

SHEET 20F 5 INVENTORS; ALBERT R BUDRIS LOUIS F. CARRIER! 4 N -w mm 6 E 8m mm mmm ow vw 9 H mm mm ATT'YS PATEN FIG, 7

TEW 3,719,270

SHEET 30F 5 FIG. 8

INVENTOR$J ALBERT P. BUDRIS LOUIS F. CARRIER! ATT'YS PATENTEDHAR 619753' 719,270

SHEET 4 0F 5 FIG. IO

FIG. 9

INVENTORS: g A BERT F? BUDRIS LOUIS F. CARRIERI PATENTEU W 51973 SHEET 5OF 5 FIG.|2

INVENTORS. ALBERT P. BUDRIS LOUIS F. CARRIERI. law/ 9M?? 1/ flag M 1 flATT'YS WORKPIECE TRANSFER DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Theinvention relates in general to a transfer device for transferringworkpieces between stations in a line of metal forming presses. It mayalso be used as a loader for placing a workpiece in a press or in aturnover device, as well as an unloader for removing from another pressa workpiece which has been formed.

Transfer devices useful for this purpose have been known heretofore, butsuch prior art devices have had certain disadvantages either from thestandpoint of being complex and expensive to manufacture or rathercumbersome and difficult to operate at relatively high speeds. In a lineof presses the first press in the line usually is a double action presswhere the workpiece is initially formed. It is also usual, but notalways necessary, that the partially formed workpiece be removed fromthe double action press and delivered to a turnover device whichreverses the position of the workpiece before it is transferred to thesingle action press. The remaining presses in the line are normallysingle action presses and the transfer device is utilized to remove theworkpiece from the press and to advance it to succeeding stationsbetween adjacent presses, and then to place it in the next succeedingpress for the following operation.

To illustrate examples of some of the prior art structures, reference ismade to the Bannon U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,751 wherein a carriage isprovided with grippers or jaws at each end thereof. In this arrangementthe carriage is elevated after the jaws grip the workpiece and is thenmoved to the next station where the jaws release the workpiece. The jawsat one end of the carriage member remove a workpiece from one press andthe jaws at the other end of the carriage member deposit the workpiecein the next succeeding press. One problem with this arrangement,however, is that the entire mechanism is raised and lowered as well asbeing reciprocated longitudinally, which requires considerably weight tobe moved, and a problem of inertia in starting and stopping themechanism is encountered.

The U.S. Pat. to Young, No. 3,890,043 utilizes a movable frame memberwhich merely moves up and down, and has a carriage which moves up anddown with the frame but also reciprocates horizontally with respect tothe frame. The carriage there is provided with rails which will supporta workpiece as it is transferred between stations, and is also providedwith grippers or jaws at each end thereof which are used to grip theworkpiece and lift it out of the die in one press and deposit it in thedie in the next succeeding press. Again, however, the operatingmechanism is rather complex and thus expensive to manufacture andmaintain.

Other prior art patents relating to this same general subject matterinclude, for example, the I-lallahan U.S. Pat. No. 2,836,280, and theDanly U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,439.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention incorporates a lift frame whichis raised and lowered by cam means. A carriage is mounted on the liftframe for longitudinal reciprocating movem n and is guided in suchmovement by guide rails. A linkage arrangement operated by crank meansis utilized for imparting the reciprocating movement to the carriage.The carriage is provided with guide means in the form of a verticallypositioned slotted member in which one end of the link is located.Longitudinal reciprocating movement of the carriage is caused by asimilar movement of the end of the link confined within the slot. Theslot enables the carriage to be raised and lowered with the lift frameduring which time the end of the link will traverse such slot. Thelinkage is driven by means of a crank fixed to a pinion which is causedto rotate by meshing with an oscillating gear segment. Movement of thegear segment in one direction will rotate the pinion in mesh therewithas well as the crank thereon, and move the end of the link together withthe carriage from one extreme position to the other. Restraining meansare provided for the ends of the link to insure proper operationthereof.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention is designed as animprovement over the mechanisms of this type heretofore known, and itis, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention toprovide a relatively simple and economical mechanism for transferring aworkpiece between presses or between stations in a line of presses.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplified workpiecetransfer device wherein a novel link age arrangement is utilized as thedrive mechanism for reciprocating the carriage supporting the workpiecebetween two extreme positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transfer device whereina carriage supporting a workpiece is reciprocated on a lift frame by anovel linkage arrangement driven by a crank.

A still further and more specific object of the invention is to providea novel drive means for the reciprocating carriage of a workpiecetransfer device which includes a linkage arrangement actuated by a crankmeans driven by cooperating pinion and gear segment means.

A still further and specific object of the invention is to provide anovel drive means for the reciprocating carriage of a workpiece transferdevice, which utilizes a linkage arrangement and wherein the carriage issupported on a lift frame which raises and lowers the carriagetherewith, and wherein the lift frame moves with respect to the linkagearrangement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammaticillustration in plan of a transfer device embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration in elevation showing the transferdevice of the present invention being used as a loader for one press andas an unloader for another press, and illustrating the path of movementof the workpiece as it is being transferred;

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the device of thepresent invention taken substantially along the plane of line 3-3 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal view partly in section and partly in elevationof the device embodying the present invention taken along the plane ofline 4-4 of FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the device withthe carriage in the lower position as shown in FIG. 4 but with thelinkage arrangement in the position illustrated in FIG. 7 where thebottom of the linkage is in its lowermost position;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the positions of thelinkage arrangement and drive means therefor about one-fourth of the waythrough the cycle in moving the carriage from one extreme position tothe other and with the carriage in its raised position;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the positions of the sameparts half way through the cycle of moving the carriage from one extremeposition to the other;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 4, 6 and 7 but showing the positionsof the same parts when the carriage has reached the opposite extremeposition and has been lowered;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view partly in elevation showing thelift frame and the means for actuating it and taken substantially alongthe plane of line 9-9 of 20 FIGS. 1 and 3, and showing the lift frame inits lower position;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view takensubstantially along the plane l 10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 1 1 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but showing the lift frame in itsupper position; and

FIG. 12 is a somewhat diagrammatic illustration in side elevationshowing the manner in which a workpiece may be moved through successivestations and from one single action press to the next.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now more particularly to the drawings,and especially to FIGS. 1 and 2, the transfer device of the presentinvention comprises an outer stationary frame 1, an inner stationaryframe 2, and an intermediate movable or lift frame 3. A carriage 4 ismounted for longitudinal reciprocating movement on suitable guide barsmounted along the upper part of the lift frame and the manner of raisingand lowering the lift frame and reciprocating the carriage will bedescribed in greater detail hereinafter.

As mentioned heretofore, the transfer device may be used either as aloader or an unloader, and in FIG. 1 it is illustrated as an unloaderwhereby, when the carriage is at the left side of the frame it will beactuated to lift a workpiece from the press 5 and then carry it towardthe right to another station.

The device is preferably driven by a direct connection to the drive ofthe press itself which is adjacent thereto so that the carriage will beactuated in synchronized timed relation with the operation of the press.To this end a gear box 6 is provided with suitable connections to thepress drive, and from which extends a shaft on which is mounted a drivepinion 7. This pinion meshes with a gear 8 on a shaft 9 which also hasmounted thereon the lift cam 10 and the transfer cam 11. As will be seenhereinafter, the lift cam is actuated to raise and lower the lift frame3 and the transfer cam 11 is operable to actuate the drive mechanismwhich reciprocates the carriage. A cam follower 12 is maintained incontact with the contoured edge of lift cam 10, and a cam follower 13 ismaintained in contact with the transfer cam 1 l.

In FIG. 2 the stationary frame 1 of the transfer device when used as anunloader is shown as being on the right side of the press 5. In thisposition the press 5 would normally be a single action press and thelast press in the line from which the workpiece will be unloaded andtransferred to a final station where it will be removed and either havefurther operations performed thereon, or may be packed for shipment.

As mentioned above, the first press in a press line is normally a doubleaction press. The stamped or formed workpiece may be removed from suchpress by using the transfer device as an unloader and placing theworkpiece in a turnover device. From the turnover device the workpiece,after being reversed, may then be removed, whereupon the device may beused as a loader as shown in FIG. 2 to place the partially formedworkpiece in the first single action press in the line which may beindicated by the numeral 5a.

As will be noted, it is assumed that in FIG. 2 the workpiece advancestoward the right, and the motion of the carriage supporting theworkpiece is as illustrated therein where the carriage is in its upperposition as it moves toward the right and in the lower position as itreturns toward the left.

Reference will now be made particularly to FIGS. 3 through 8. FIG. 4shows the transfer cam l l on its shaft 9 and shows the cam follower 13bearing against the contoured edge thereof. As will be described morespecifically hereinafter, the rotation of the cam will impart areciprocating movement to the carriage 4. The carriage may be providedwith any suitable guide means, but in FIGS. 4 and 5 these have beenillustrated as a guide bar 14 extending longitudinally of the carriageand mounted on the lift frame 3 by means of a bracket 15. Upper andlower pairs of spaced apart rollers 16 and 17 are provided at one sideof the carriage and are mounted on suitable pins in the apron 17aextending downwardly at one side of the carriage. These rollers 16 and17 contact the upper and lower sides of the rail 14 and the carriage isguided thereby.

At the opposite side of the carriage a different type of guide means ispreferably provided which comprises the rod 18, also mounted on the liftframe 3, and which has a tubular guide member 19 with ball bearingstherein which receives the rod 18. Thus, as the carriage is reciprocatedthe guide bar 14 and the rod 18 at opposite sides of the carriage willguide it in this movement.

At the center of the carriage and extending downwardly therefrom is aslotted member 20 which has a vertically extending slot 21 therein. Alink 22 has a roller 23 at one end thereof (FIG. 5) which is mounted ona pin 24 passing through the end of the link 22. When thelink 22 isactuated to move the roller 23 in a horizontal direction it will causemovement of the carriage due to its confinement within the slot of themember 20.

Also mounted on the pin 24 at opposite ends thereof are rollers 25 and26. The purpose of these rollers will become evident presently, and itmay be stated briefly here that they cooperate with restraining meansadjacent the extreme positions of the carriage for proper operation ofthe device.

The link 22 is elongated and at substantially the mid point along thelength thereof a stub shaft 27 passes therethrough. This shaft extendsthrough the link and beyond the sides thereof to support one end of acrank member generally indicated at 28, and which consists of the spacedside members 29 and 30. The other end of the crank 28 is mounted forrotation about an axis which consists of the stub shafts 31 and 32. Theside 29 of the crank is connected to the inner end of shaft 31 and theopposite side 30 is connected to the inner end of the other shaft 32, asmay be more clearly seen in FIG. 5. A pinion 33 is also secured on thestub shaft 32, and it will be evident that rotation of such pinion,together with its shaft, will cause a rotation of the crank 28. Thepinion 33 is caused to rotate by being in mesh with a gear segment 34mounted for pivotal movement about the pivot pin 35. The cam follower 13is mounted on a bracket 36 secured to the gear segment 34 so that as thetransfer cam 11 rotates and the follower l3 follows the contour thereof,an oscillating motion will be imparted to the gear segment 34.

The lower end of the gear segment 34 extends beyond the pivot point 35and has secured thereto the outer end of a piston rod 37. The inner endof this rod has a piston thereon and is adapted to reciprocate withinthe cylinder 38. Suitable fluid pressure within the cylinder creates apull on the lower end of gear segment 34, thereby urging the camfollower 13 into engagement with the edge of the cam 1 1.

As the cam 11 rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed in the variousfigures of the drawings, it will cause the gear segment 34 to move fromits one extreme position shown in FIG. 4, to its opposite extremeposition shown in FIG. 8, and in so doing will move through theintermediate positions illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 6 and 7. Asthe gear segment 34 moves from the position shown in FIG. 4 to theposition shown in F IG. 8, the pinion 33 will rotate the crank 28through approximately 180, and in so doing will move the roller 23 onthe end of link 22 from one end of the inner stationary frame to theother, and by reason of its association with slot 21 it will likewisecause a similar movement to be imparted to the carriage 4.

It is necessary that the outer ends of the link 22 be restrained at alltimes in order properly to control the movement of the'link. To this enda plurality of U- shaped guide members are provided, the pairs of guidemembers 39 and 40 being horizontally positioned at each end of the innerstationary frame 2 and the guide member 41 being vertically positionednear the bottom of said frame.

It will be noted in FIG. 4, where the carriage is illustrated as beingin one of its extreme positions, that the rollers 25 and 26 are receivedwithin the pair of U- shaped guide members 39. In the absence of suchcontrol, the end of the link might drop downwardly in the slot 21 andwould fail to perform its function properly.

In FIG. 6 it will be noted that the crank 28 has been rotated throughapproximately 45 degrees and the rollers 25 and 26 about it leave theconfines of the slot in the guide members 39. The opposite end of thelink, however, is provided with a similar roller 42, which at this pointis entering the vertical slot in the guide member 41. Continued movementof the crank in a counterclockwise direction will move the various partsto their intermediate positions shown in FIG. 7 where the roller 42 onlink 22 is near the bottom of the slot in the guide member 41. Continuedrotation of the crank in a counterclockwise direction will move theupper end of the link and the rollers thereon toward the right and bythe time the roller 42 moves upwardly and leaves the slot in its guidemember the rollers 25 and 26 will have entered the slots in the guidemembers 40. Thus, at all times the link is being guided and restrainedat one or the other ends thereof.

It is evident, of course, that the carriage will have a verticalcomponent of movement, and the slot 21 in the member 20 will permit thecarriage to be elevated as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, whereupon the member20 will move upwardly and the roller 23 will traverse the slot 21.

The mechanism for raising and lowering the lift frame 3 is illustratedmore clearly in FIGS. 9, l0 and 11. The lift cam 10 is shown as mountedon the cam shaft 9 and has the cam follower 12 in contact therewith. Thelift frame is moved through the operation of two pairs of bell cranklevers, one of which is mounted at one side of the inner stationaryframe 2 and the outer stationary frame 1. These are connected togetherby a link. A stub shaft 43 is mounted at one side of the innerstationary frame and the bell crank lever 44 is mounted thereon andsecured thereto for rotation therewith. The bell crank lever is providedwith two arms 45 and 46. The end of arm 46 is provided with a pivot 47on which is mounted one end of a leg 48 connected to the lift frame 3 insuch a way that a counterclockwise rotation of the bell crank lever 44will raise the leg 48 and the lift frame as well as the carriage 4mounted thereon.

The arm 45 of the bell crank lever is connected to one end of a link 49by means of a pivot pin 50. The other end of link 49 is connected at 51to one leg 52 of a second bell crank lever which is pivotally mounted tothe inner stationary frame at 53. The other arm 54 of the bell crank ispivotally connected to a leg 55 by means such as the pivot pin 56. Theleg 55 is likewise connected to the lift frame and cooperates with theleg 48 to raise and lower the frame.

A pinion 57 is mounted on the shaft 43 and is secured thereto so thatrotation of the pinion will rotate the shaft and bell crank levers byreason of the connecting link 49.

The cam follower 12 is mounted on a gear segment 58 rotatably mounted ona pin or stub shaft 59 on the inner stationary frame. The gear segment58 is in mesh with the pinion 57 so that oscillation or rotation of thegear segment will likewise rotate the pinion 57.

FIG. 9 shows the lift frame on which the carriage is mounted in thelowered position thereof. As viewed in FIGS. 9 and 10, the shaft 9 andcam 10 will rotate in a clockwise direction. It will be noted that asthe cam 10 rotates from its position in FIG. 9 the high part of the camwill bear against the cam follower 12 and rotate the gear segment 58 ina clockwise direction. This will cause a counterclockwise rotation ofthe pinion 57 and the two bell crank levers so that the arms 46 and 54thereof will raise the legs 48 and 55 and thereby elevate the lift frameand the carriage to the position shown in FIG. 11.

It will be evident that the transfer cam 1 1 and the lift cam 10 are sodesigned as to cause the lift frame and carriage to be raised when thecarriage is in one of its extreme positions and to be lowered when thecarriage reaches its other extreme position.

The carriage for transferring the workpiece will normally be providedwith elongated support rails such as those indicated by the numeral 60in FIGS. 4 and 5 with one such rail positioned at each side of thecarriage. Each rail is provided with a nest consisting of the shoes 61.These may vary with the shape and size of the piece part beingtransferred, but, in general, they support the part between them and thepart nests therein to prevent longitudinal movement thereof.

A pair of stationary rails 62 is positioned above the carriage andoutwardly of the movable rails 60. These stationary rails also areprovided with similar nests 63 spaced apart along the length thereof inthe manner shown in FIG. 4.

In transferring a workpiece from one station to another, the workpiecewill be resting upon the stationary rails 62 within a nest. It will havebeen placed there from the press either by movable rails such as thoseindicated at 60 or by jaws or grippers which will have gripped the piecein the press and lifted it therefrom. If the transfer device is beingutilized as an unloader, as in FIG. 1, the carriage will be in its lowerposition as shown in FIG. 4 but in the extreme position thereof awayfrom the press. In this situation the carriage will remain in its lowerposition during its return travel to the press in accordance with thediagrammatic showing of the carriage movement for the unloader in FIG.2.

When it reaches the other extreme position it will be elevated with thelift frame by action of the lift cam. If there is a workpiece on thestationary rails, the rails on the carriage will pick it up as thecarriage is elevated and it will then be transferred to the next stationas the carriage moves to its other extreme position. When it reachesthat point the carriage is lowered and as it moves downwardly throughthe stationary rails 62 the work piece will be deposited thereon at thenext station.

It is customary to utilize grippers or jaws to grasp the workpiece andlift it out of the die in one press and other jaws to grip the workpieceat another station and deposit it in the die area of the next press. Inorder that the presses may be located sufficiently far apart in thepress line there will normally be several stations between adjacentpresses. FIG. 12 illustrates somewhat diagrammatically a transfer devicewherein jaws 64 are mounted at one end of the carriage and will grip theworkpiece so that when the carriage is elevated the workpiece willlikewise be elevated off of the die and be ready to be removed from themachine.

FIG. 12 also illustrates the adaptability of the present drive systemfor use either as a loader or unloader, or as a device for transferringworkpieces between stations from one press to another. In FIG. 12, forexample, the numeral 1 identifies the outer stationary frame of thetransfer device which has been described above. For use between adjacentpresses the frame may be lengthened as much as is necessary by theaddition of a length thereto as shown at 1a. The internal mechanismwithin the frame 1 will remain the same, but the invention adapts itselfso that the guide rails 14 and 18 may be elongated to extend above andbeyond the additional portion 1a. Likewise, the stationary support rails62 may be elongated as much as may be necessary to provide the desirednumber of stations between the presses.

In devices heretofore known, it would have been necessary to make thecarriage 4 longer, but by the use of the present invention the sameresult can be obtained by the addition of a second carriage which may beidentified as 4a. The movable support rails 60 will then extend acrossthe two carriages as shown in FIG. 12, and the secondary carriage 4awill have another set of jaws 65 mounted thereon. The presses arediagrammatically illustrated and are identified as 66 and 67, eachhaving a die 68 and 69 thereon. The workpiece in the die 68 isidentified by the letter W.

There are three intermediate stations between the presses 66 and 67, andthe workpieces thereon are identified as W1, W2 and W3. The workpiecewithin the press 67 is indicated at W4.

When the carriages are raised the jaws 64 will raise the workpiece W outof the die and at the same time carriage 4 will pick up workpiece W1 andcarriage 4a will pick up workpiece W2. The jaws 65 will pick upworkpiece W3, and at the same time workpiece W4 in the press 67 willhave been grasped by similar jaws mounted on the transfer device betweenpress 67 and the next succeeding press. On the other hand, W4 could bepicked up by the unloader of FIG. 2 if it happens to be the last pressin the line.

In the uppermost position of the carriages it will move toward the rightas indicated by the dot dash lines with arrows in FIG. 12 to theopposite extreme position of the carriage. The lift cam at this pointwill then have reached the place on its contour where the lift framewill lower, whereupon each workpiece will be deposited at the nextsucceeding station on the stationary rails 62.

The arrangement disclosed herein lends itself to diversification andenables it to be used as a loader or an unloader, or as an elongatedtransfer device between adjacent presses. The drive means is relativelysimple and uncomplicated compared to mechanisms in the prior art whichhave been used in an attempt to accomplish the same purpose.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of partsfrom those disclosed herein without in any way departing from the spiritof the invention or sacrificing any of the attendant advantages thereof,provided, however, that such changes fall within the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A transfer device for transferring a workpiece between stations in aline of metal forming presses comprising,

a. a lift frame member mounted for movement between raised and loweredpositions,

b. a carriage adapted to carry a workpiece and mounted on said liftframe for movement therewith between the raised and lowered positionsthereof, and with respect thereto in a substantially horizontal planebetween two extreme positions,

c. a link having at one end thereof a sliding connection with saidcarriage permitting the raising and lowering of said lift frame andcarriage with respect to said one end of said link,

d. means including a crank connected at one end thereof to said link andmounted at the other end thereof on supporting pins for rotation aboutan axis substantially midway between said two extreme positions of saidcarriage thereby to reciprocate said carriage, and

e. means to raise said lift frame and the carriage thereon while saidcarriage is in one of said extreme positions, and to lower said liftframe and carriage while said carriage is in the other of said extremepositions.

2. A transfer device as defined in claim 1, and means to rotate saidcrank including a pinion on said axis connected to said crank, a toothedmember meshing with said pinion, and means to actuate said toothedmember to rotate said pinion.

3. A transfer device as defined in claim 2, wherein said toothed memberis a gear segment, and said means to actuate said toothed memberincludes a cam and a cam follower on said gear segment.

4. A transfer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the elements definedin paragraph (e) thereof includes a plurality of bell crank levers, aleg connected to one arm of each of said levers and to said lift frame,whereby rotation of said levers in one direction will raise said liftframe and rotation thereof in the other direction will lower said liftframe, and means to rotate said levers.

5. A transfer device for transferring a workpiece between stations in aline of metal forming presses comprising,

a. a stationary outer frame,

b. a stationary inner frame,

c. a movable lift frame between said inner and outer frames,

d. means for raising and lowering said lift frame,

e. a carriage mounted on said lift frame and movable therewith to theraised and lowered positions thereof and with respect thereto in ahorizontal reciprocating motion, and adapted to carry a workpiecetherewith,

f. means for reciprocating said carriage on said lift frame between twoextreme positions including 1. a link connected at one end to saidcarriage,

2. crank means pivotally secured at one end to said link and mounted forrotation at the other end on said inner frame,

g. means for rotating said crank and imparting to said one end of saidlink and to the carriage to which it is connected a reciprocatingmovement relative to said lift frame, and

h. restraining means cooperating with said link to guide said one endthereof in a horizontal path during reciprocation of said carriage.

6. A transfer device as defined in claim 5, wherein said restrainingmeans includes slotted members mounted on said inner frame and rollerson said link adapted to be received by said slotted members duringmovement of said carriage.

7. A transfer device as defined in claim 5, wherein said restrainingmeans includes a slotted member on said inner frame adjacent eachextreme position of said carriage and rollers on said one end of saidlink adapted to be received in said slots as the carriage approacheseach of its extreme positions.

8. A transfer device as defined in claim 5, wherein said restrainingmeans includes a slotted member adjacent each extreme position of saidcarriage, rollers on said one end of said link adapted to be received insaid slots as the carriage approaches each of its extreme positions, aslotted member intermediate the two extreme positions of said carriage,and a roller on the other end of said link adapted to be received insaid last named slotted member as said carriage moves throughintermediate positions between the two extreme positions thereof.

9. A transfer device for transferring a workpiece between stations in aline of metal forming presses comprising,

a. a lift frame member mounted for movement between raised and loweredpositions,

b. a carriage adapted to carry a workpiece and mounted on said liftframe for movement therewith between the raised and lowered positionsthereof, and with respect thereto in a substantially horizontal planebetween two extreme positions,

c. a link having at one end thereof a sliding connection with saidcarriage permitting the raising and lowering of said lift frame andcarriage with respect to said one end of said link,

d. means to move said one end of said link in a generally horizontaldirection thereby to reciprocate said carriage,

e. means to raise said lift frame and the carriage thereon while saidcarriage is in one of said extreme positions, and to lower said liftframe and carriage while said carriage is in the other of said extremepositions, and

f. restraining means cooperating with said link to control the movementthereof and guide said one end thereof in a horizontal path of movementduring reciprocation of said carriage, including rigidly mounted slottedmembers, and rollers on said link adapted to be received by said slottedmembers.

10. A transfer device for transferring a workpiece between stations in aline of metal forming presses comprising,

a. a lift frame member mounted for movement between raised and loweredpositions,

b. a carriage adapted to carry a workpiece and mounted on said liftframe for movement therewith between the raised and lowered positionsthereof, and with respect thereto in a substantially horizontal planebetween two extreme positions,

0. a link having at one end thereof a sliding connection with saidcarriage permitting the raising and lowering of said lift frame andcarriage with respect to said one end of said link,

d. means to move said one end of said link in a generally horizontaldirection thereby to reciprocate said carriage,

e. a plurality of bell crank levers, a leg connected to one arm of eachof said levers and to said lift frame, whereby rotation of said leversin one direction while said carriage is in one of said extreme positionswill raise said lift frame and rotation thereof in the other directionwhile said carriage is in the other of said extreme positions will lowersaid lift frame, and

f. means to rotate said levers, including a pinion on the axis ofrotation of one of said levers, a toothed member in mesh with saidpinion, and means to actuate said toothed member to rotate said pinion.

11. A transfer device as defined in claim 10, wherein said toothedmember is a gear segment, and said means to actuate said toothed memberis a cam, and a cam follower on said gear segment.

1. A transfer device for transferring a workpiece between stations in aline of metal forming presses comprising, a. a lift frame member mountedfor movement between raised and lowered positions, b. a carriage adaptedto carry a workpiece and mounted on said lift frame for movementtherewith between the raised and lowered positions thereof, and withrespect thereto in a substantially horizontal plane between two extremepositions, c. a link having at one end thereof a sliding connection withsaid carriage permitting the raising and lowering of said lift frame andcarriage with respect to said one end of said link, d. means including acrank connected at one end thereof to said link and mounted at the otherend thereof on supporting pins for rotation about an axis substantiallymidway between said two extreme positions of said carriage thereby toreciprocate said carriage, and e. means to raise said lift frame and thecarriage thereon while said carriage is in one of said extremepositions, and to lower said lift frame and carriage while said carriageis in the other of said extreme positions.
 1. A transfer device fortransferring a workpiece between stations in a line of metal formingpresses comprising, a. a lift frame member mounted for movement betweenraised and lowered positions, b. a carriage adapted to carry a workpieceand mounted on said lift frame for movement therewith between the raisedand lowered positions thereof, and with respect thereto in asubstantially horizontal plane between two extreme positions, c. a linkhaving at one end thereof a sliding connection with said carriagepermitting the raising and lowering of said lift frame and carriage withrespect to said one end of said link, d. means including a crankconnected at one end thereof to said link and mounted at the other endthereof on supporting pins for rotation about an axis substantiallymidway between said two extreme positions of said carriage thereby toreciprocate said carriage, and e. means to raise said lift frame and thecarriage thereon while said carriage is in one of said extremepositions, and to lower said lift frame and carriage while said carriageis in the other of said extreme positions.
 1. a link connected at oneend to said carriage,
 2. crank means pivotally secured at one end tosaid link and mounted for rotation at the other end on said inner frame,g. means for rotating said crank and imparting to said one end of saidlink and to the carriage to which it is connected a reciprocatingmovement relative to said lift frame, and h. restraining meanscooperating with said link to guide said one end thereof in a horizontalpath during reciprocation of said carriage.
 2. A transfer device asdefined in claim 1, and means to rotate said crank including a pinion onsaid axis connected to said crank, a toothed member meshing with saidpinion, and means to actuatE said toothed member to rotate said pinion.3. A transfer device as defined in claim 2, wherein said toothed memberis a gear segment, and said means to actuate said toothed memberincludes a cam and a cam follower on said gear segment.
 4. A transferdevice as defined in claim 1, wherein the elements defined in paragraph(e) thereof includes a plurality of bell crank levers, a leg connectedto one arm of each of said levers and to said lift frame, wherebyrotation of said levers in one direction will raise said lift frame androtation thereof in the other direction will lower said lift frame, andmeans to rotate said levers.
 5. A transfer device for transferring aworkpiece between stations in a line of metal forming pressescomprising, a. a stationary outer frame, b. a stationary inner frame, c.a movable lift frame between said inner and outer frames, d. means forraising and lowering said lift frame, e. a carriage mounted on said liftframe and movable therewith to the raised and lowered positions thereofand with respect thereto in a horizontal reciprocating motion, andadapted to carry a workpiece therewith, f. means for reciprocating saidcarriage on said lift frame between two extreme positions including
 6. Atransfer device as defined in claim 5, wherein said restraining meansincludes slotted members mounted on said inner frame and rollers on saidlink adapted to be received by said slotted members during movement ofsaid carriage.
 7. A transfer device as defined in claim 5, wherein saidrestraining means includes a slotted member on said inner frame adjacenteach extreme position of said carriage and rollers on said one end ofsaid link adapted to be received in said slots as the carriageapproaches each of its extreme positions.
 8. A transfer device asdefined in claim 5, wherein said restraining means includes a slottedmember adjacent each extreme position of said carriage, rollers on saidone end of said link adapted to be received in said slots as thecarriage approaches each of its extreme positions, a slotted memberintermediate the two extreme positions of said carriage, and a roller onthe other end of said link adapted to be received in said last namedslotted member as said carriage moves through intermediate positionsbetween the two extreme positions thereof.
 9. A transfer device fortransferring a workpiece between stations in a line of metal formingpresses comprising, a. a lift frame member mounted for movement betweenraised and lowered positions, b. a carriage adapted to carry a workpieceand mounted on said lift frame for movement therewith between the raisedand lowered positions thereof, and with respect thereto in asubstantially horizontal plane between two extreme positions, c. a linkhaving at one end thereof a sliding connection with said carriagepermitting the raising and lowering of said lift frame and carriage withrespect to said one end of said link, d. means to move said one end ofsaid link in a generally horizontal direction thereby to reciprocatesaid carriage, e. means to raise said lift frame and the carriagethereon while said carriage is in one of said extreme positions, and tolower said lift frame and carriage while said carriage is in the otherof said extreme positions, and f. restraining means cooperating withsaid link to control the movement thereof and guide said one end thereofin a horizontal path of movement during reciProcation of said carriage,including rigidly mounted slotted members, and rollers on said linkadapted to be received by said slotted members.
 10. A transfer devicefor transferring a workpiece between stations in a line of metal formingpresses comprising, a. a lift frame member mounted for movement betweenraised and lowered positions, b. a carriage adapted to carry a workpieceand mounted on said lift frame for movement therewith between the raisedand lowered positions thereof, and with respect thereto in asubstantially horizontal plane between two extreme positions, c. a linkhaving at one end thereof a sliding connection with said carriagepermitting the raising and lowering of said lift frame and carriage withrespect to said one end of said link, d. means to move said one end ofsaid link in a generally horizontal direction thereby to reciprocatesaid carriage, e. a plurality of bell crank levers, a leg connected toone arm of each of said levers and to said lift frame, whereby rotationof said levers in one direction while said carriage is in one of saidextreme positions will raise said lift frame and rotation thereof in theother direction while said carriage is in the other of said extremepositions will lower said lift frame, and f. means to rotate saidlevers, including a pinion on the axis of rotation of one of saidlevers, a toothed member in mesh with said pinion, and means to actuatesaid toothed member to rotate said pinion.